


Give & Take

by yuktenisreal



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arrogant Lucas, Characters are written differently from how they are in real life please dont take offence, Dependent Ten, Kunten, LuTen, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Sugar Daddy Kun, TenCas, Tendery, WayV - Freeform, a gift for WayV debut, bully me to finish this, yukten
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-11 21:23:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17454563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuktenisreal/pseuds/yuktenisreal
Summary: The modelling industry is unforgiving when you're a foreigner dependent on a sugar daddy for your survival and especially when they happen to have a half-brother who just won't let you live in peace.





	1. Profit & Loss

**Author's Note:**

> The beautiful fic poster was drawn by Zaca aka @wayvetter (on Twitter).

                  

 

 

 

Everything in the world revolves around profit. The idea of maximum profit. From the shape of your shampoo bottle to the number of seats in the subway. Our lives revolve around it, erratically and sometimes carefully arrange themselves around it, even if it costs us our convenience. Ten knew it would cost him his afternoon nap, which was, in fact, the only time he had been sleeping these days, but he went where he needed to go, regardless. It cost him his sleep, but at least he would have his answers. Just why the hell was he being ignored?

 

So he sat there, staring at the back of the guy he longed to be around. 

 

“You spent all of it in a week?” he practically shouted, except he didn’t. Kun never shouted. He had remarkable control over his voice and tone. Even when he was angry. Or happy. Or sad. Or anything. He spoke as if every conversation were a business meeting. He spoke as if it were a crime to tip the balance of the conversation. He was becoming more and more one of those people who spoke softly and sternly, and if it hurts you then they could hardly be blamed. Kun had turned his back on him. He was staring out the window, both hands shoved deep in his neat creaseless pants.

 

“This is why I don’t hand you a credit card, you know,” his voice came, with a hint of disdain, but mostly reproachful like you’d treat a child who ate a little too many candies in one day.

 

Ten sank farther into his seat. He was aware that his expenditures weren’t really reasonable but being scolded made him a little sad. In his defence, there wasn’t much to do these days and entirety of last week where he had tried to contact Kun, only to be told he was busy with “the family business”. It made him anxious. What if Kun didn’t want him anymore? Would this affect their arrangement? Was Kun actually busy or was he upset with Ten? Did Kun know how terrible he felt at being left in the dark? 

 

“What else am I supposed to do while I wait for you to find some time to see me?” Ten retorted, though too timidly for his own liking.

 

Kun turned around at that. Ten looked up, eyes hopeful, thinking that this would be the moment where Kun will look into his eyes and tell him that he missed Ten and missed him in his bed and that he was sorry for making Ten wait so much. Purely wishful thinking, because Kun just looked tired. He had those deep dark circles around his eyes. He sighed and Ten understood that maybe it was wrong to push a man that much. Kun had an entire business to handle all by himself, ever since the death of his mother and Ten would hate to be a liability. How much longer did he need to be babied? 

 

So yes, lives do revolve around profit. Like how Kun took an off only once a week on Saturdays and worked all day through Sundays, so things go smoothly on Mondays when it was the busiest at work, and like how Ten knew that he could get the most amount of time with Kun if he went just before noon, so he’d be offered to join Kun for lunch and they could talk about things before a haughty secretary would whisper into Kun’s ear about how Mr X or Mrs Y were waiting for him in the office. See. Maximum Profit. The only sad thing is that it had been failing Ten lately. So much for missing out on his sleep.

 

“I know, I know. You were busy,” Ten said, even though he wanted to be a little angry, whine a little more. But Kun just looked so tired and frustrated, he thought it would be selfish to expect love out of him at that moment.

 

“It’s alright, kid,” Kun said, ruffling Ten’s hair, as he walked out the door heading to another one of his meetings.

Fine. Ten would have lunch alone. Here he was, willing to give and still being denied. He pulled himself up from the couch and dragged himself out of the room into the hallway, slowly, mood still damp from seeing Kun not take interest in him like he used to. But he wasn’t willing to let go, just yet. 

 

Ten paused in the hallway with his face all scrunched up. Lucas, who was Kun’s half-brother and also happened to be handsome, ridiculously popular and a successful runway model much to Ten’s annoyance) stood leaning against the door of the next room. He knew what was coming, knew it in his bones that Lucas would not let this go. Of course, he overheard. Somehow he always does. And so Ten walked or at least tried to walk by as fast as his feet would allow without making too much noise against the polished marble floor but Lucas, as always, still managed to throw in an uninvited remark.

  
  


“Not looking too happy? Did he scold you again?” Lucas said, pouting his lips a little. No one likes being mocked, but one knows that when you’re mocked by someone like Lucas, the best retort is to ignore. There was no winning against him, with tongue. Kun’s half brother Lucas was just as nosy as Kun was distant. He would pry out anything that he could mock people with. For the last week, it was almost impossible to enter the mansion with Lucas barring his entry. “He’s not here,” he said every time and shut the door in Ten’s face. And now Ten couldn’t get out of here fast enough.

 

So Ten just huffed a breath and passed by, not saying anything. But of course, Lucas followed him. 

 

Ten did his best. He really did. He tried to walk fast, without tripping, trying not to look awkward but Lucas could walk so fast. And he could take these huge, huge steps, so after a while, inevitably, it was almost impossible to ignore him.

 

“What?” Ten said, turning at his heels suddenly.

 

Lucas shrugged and said, “Nothin, just seeing you out.”

 

If only it weren’t Lucas’ house, Ten would have given him a good shove, not that it would be at all effective on someone as big as him but he still would. Maybe for some satisfaction. He had never been able to shut Lucas up. Now  _ that  _ would be something worth his time.

 

“Sure, if you walk a little faster, you may as well reach the door first and hold it open for me,” Ten retorted. Lucas was unfazed, even grinning at that.

 

“Whatever gets you out faster,” Lucas said, making a show of jogging and holding open the main exit to the mansion. Ten rolled his eyes at him. He hated how much he sucked at comebacks, he hated it even more that Lucas could keep up the charming facade even when insulted. Ten could only huff, pout and maybe roll his eyes.

 

“A little faster, darling,” Lucas called. 

 

Ten stopped dead in his tracks. His ears turned pink. Only Kun ever calls him that and that too only in their most intimate moments. How did Lucas know? Or was it a coincidence? Forget saying something snarky, Ten was so embarrassed, he couldn’t wait to be out of there immediately. 

 

“What?” Lucas said, surprised at how red Ten was when he rushed past him out of the door. 

 

“What was that about?” Lucas said to himself. But of course, he had overheard.

 

🖤

 

Sometimes, it’s best to let things go, the article’s first line read. Ten’s eyes narrowed at it.  Maybe for normal relationships, it would work. As for him, considering his total dependence on Kun, it would be life-changing, to say the least. First all of, he would, to save his dignity, have to move out of the upscale apartment Kun had rented out just for Ten and then, he would be left all alone in this cold and unforgiving modelling industry to fend for himself. And the worst part, he’d never be able to see Kun again. In the past few months, soon after moving to the city, Ten’s life had come to revolve around one man. One man. 

 

Ten put his phone aside, giving up finding other measures for the time being. Maybe, it is just a phase. Maybe Kun will go back to being his stoic but gentle and loving self. Or maybe, Ten would go big and wouldn’t need to have any such arrangements at all. They could be together “normally”.

 

Two sips of coffee and his mind began buzzing again. His eyes kept darting to his phone as he waited for a phone call. It was Saturday. On Saturdays usually came an invitation, though there hadn’t been one last week.

 

And just when Ten almost gave up, his phone buzzed. He felt so nervous he wanted to throw up.

 

“Hi, what’s up?” Ten said, at an unnatural speed.

 

“Hey. Would you like to come tonight?” Kun said, in a soft voice. Ten’s heartbeat quickened. Even though he was prepared, he still felt nervous like always.

 

“Yeah, I’ll be there,” he replied, faking a calm tone. 

 

“Alright,” Kun said, chuckling when he hung up.

 

Ten wanted to scream because he was so happy and he also wanted to throw up because of how nervous he felt. Rushing home, he hoped he hadn’t run of his favourite perfume yet.

 

“I asked her, man. Stop-,”Lucas' eyes snapped to the figure trying to cross the living area discreetly. 

 

“I didn’t know the doorbell stopped working?” Lucas said, loudly. His friend, too, stared at the intruder.

 

Ten who had stopped, flashed the key in his hands and said, “See this?”

 

“Oh, brother gave it to you?” Lucas asked, even if he knew the answer damn well.

 

His friend, whose face Ten recognised from a lot of fashion magazines, and who was watching the whole conversation curiously, was looking at both of them curiously. Ten knew what was coming and he dreaded it.

 

“Who’s that?” Winwin asked Lucas, his eyes lingering on Ten. And Ten’s gaze dug into Lucas, daring him to reveal who Ten was and why he was here. Lucas may be shameless and arrogant but he wouldn’t dare tarnish Kun’s pristine reputation. Go on, Ten’s face seemed to tell Lucas.

 

Lucas only shrugged. And Ten internally breathed a sigh of relief. “I don’t know, some bootlicker probably. You know, how brother is known for launching people into fame. Everyone wants a taste of that,” Lucas said, glancing at Ten with a bite in a voice, before resuming his conversation. If Winwin saw how angry Ten looked he didn’t say anything. 

 

Ten’s mood couldn’t get any worse, or so he thought. Seeing Kun still dressed in his office attire, he felt like he had misread the call. They were supposed to be in bed but Kun looked like he was about to rush out any second. 

 

Shit. That’s what he felt like when Kun looked into his eyes with so much regret it broke his heart and said, “Have you ever met the board at our company, Ten?” 

 

Ten shook his head. He had absolutely no reason to. He hadn’t been properly launched by the company yet. He couldn’t guess what Kun wanted to say but he had gauged by the frown on Kun’s face that it wasn’t anything nice. 

 

“A bunch of b*stards. They want me to step down, in my own company. Can you believe it? And for no good reason,” Kun said, anger bubbling.

 

Ten was shocked. They wanted Kun out? Kun? He ran that company with his blood and to be ousted?

 

“Why?” Ten asked, taking Kun’s hand into his. Kun didn’t resist. In fact, he pulled Ten into a tight hug. Ten could still smell his cologne, could feel how tense he was. Ten’s arms hooked around Kun and he never wanted to let go. 

 

“There was a letter,” Kun said, tensing up even more.

 

“What about?” Ten said but he was already breathing Kun’s scent in. His mind, engulfed in comfort and the familiar warmth, couldn’t have possibly imagined, what Kun told him next.

 

“About you-” Kun had only begun saying but Ten freed himself from the hug, shocked at the words, already beginning to feel the onset of a disaster. 

 

So when Kun continued, Ten was quiet, albeit shaken on the inside.

 

“And me. And our relationship,” Kun continued, and then paused before saying, “the sexual and monetary nature of our arrangement.”

 

Kun was holding onto Ten by the shoulders, looking into his eyes, as if trying to drill into Ten the reasoning of why things between them might come to an end.

 

“If the word gets out, the stocks are gonna go crashing. It’ll be over for the company. They want me to hand reigns over for the time being,” Kun explained.

 

To Ten, each word was worse than the one before it. Kun losing his label. And Ten losing him. His own career hadn’t begun yet, so maybe that’s why Ten, somewhere, failed to understand how Kun felt. At that moment, Ten only felt despair. His personal loss seemed far larger than what Kun was suffering. He wanted to be the bigger person, he did, but what was his fault? 

 

How useless words are. 

 

“Please, I’ll be more careful. I promise. We can meet in secr-” Ten was saying. The moment they escaped his lips, they sounded stupid even to himself.

 

“Ten,” Kun said, softly, eyes a little blurry. Everything felt so heavy.

 

“Please.”

 

Ten rested his head against Kun’s shoulder. In the distance, he could picture himself somewhere, lonely, without any direction, his career barely staying afloat, his happiness amiss.

 

And then he pictured Kun with his head between his hands, listening to people threaten him, blackmail him, all because of their “relationship” which as matter of fact had been consensual.

 

Sometimes it’s better to let things go, the article had said. Ten heard the door in the next room open and close. He shut his eyes tight and lied to himself about letting go. 

 

🖤  
  


Lucas stared into the fireplace. The fire cackled, sparks flew out, the room warmed up in no time. He still felt cold. 

 

When Ten walked past the living area again, slow and silent, Lucas felt like a log. He couldn’t just naturally push himself off the couch and flash an evil grin. Say something snarky and forget.

 

It took some acting but Lucas pretended he didn’t know what was going on. He pretended he hadn't heard. He pretended not to be happy to hear that they had finally decided to end their illicit affair. He didn’t have to pretend that he hated what Ten had with his brother. He hated that his brother would live a life like that. He hated that his level-headed brother had risked jeopardising everything for a boy. It made him furious. 

 

But it was unbearable. It was horrible. It was so disturbing to see him cry like that. Now in his life of 19 years, Lucas had made a lot of people cry, no lies there, but he had never come across people that weren’t directly crying because of him. So when Ten, literally staggered through the hallway, rubbing his eyes and sobbing, Lucas felt handicapped and he felt horrible that just moments ago he had been rejoicing the end of their “thing” at last. So yeah, his acting skills had to use at the worst timing possible.

 

“Here,” Lucas said thrusting a whole tissue box in front of Ten, only to be ignored. Ten was still staggering on, barely seeing ahead. His body probably finding his way through sheer memory alone. That is how often he was here, Lucas thought.

 

“I’ll just do it myself,” Lucas mumbled to himself, before ripping out a sheet of tissue and wiping Ten’s entire face with it. It wasn’t very gentle but it was best he could do, with Ten resisting while continuously sobbing. 

 

“Hold on. Hold on. Let me-” Lucas was saying, struggling to wipe away all of his tears, seeing how fast they came but was interrupted by Ten hugging him.

 

Lucas gaped at the dark hallway. He was being hugged by the guy he hated. He was comforting? A guy he hated? He was blank until Ten started bawling. It was like he’d just unmuted this guy. 

 

It was purely instinct, something probably wired in the human DNA (as Lucas told himself) when he hugged him back, mostly his shoulders, cause Ten was so short that he was hugging Lucas’s waist and it would be too intimate to just do the same back. No chance.

 

It took a while but Ten eventually calmed down. Lucas had taken up to muttering “it’s okay” in intervals. So the sobs came less frequently, tears had begun to dry, though his own shirt was definitely soaked. He didn’t mind. He was just relieved it was over. Truthfully, he was relieved to see Ten not crying. It was something else too but Lucas buried it. Some things just had to be done, even when they left you feeling cold. The fire threw more sparks in the fireplace and Lucas swallowed down the guilt. I’m sorry, brother, he said without moving his lips.

  
  


🖤

 

“What’s this?” Lucas, peeped into the boxes, Ten was dropping next to the driveway. It would have been amusing in some other scenario to see Ten haul boxes as big as him from the cab but he looked like a mess. 

 

“Everything he gave me,” Ten said, before adding, “at least most of it.”

 

“And just why are you giving it back? I’m sure it’s of no use to him anyway,” Lucas said, leaning against the shutter. He studied Ten, his glasses slipping off his nose every time he bent down, the way he flicked his head to throw strands of hair that got in his eyes. Lucas watched, for no justifiable reason, the way Ten’s shirt was too big for him, the number of piercing not taking away the boyish quality of his face and then he saw the ring on Ten’s finger. Lucas waited for the same hatred to flare up again but nothing.

 

“Not returning the ring?” Lucas asked, no bite in his voice.

 

Ten, suddenly reminded of it, looked down at his hand with the frown. A fresh pool of tears began to form in his eyes but then Lucas goes ahead and does the most annoying thing ever. He pushes open the lid of one of the cardboard boxes with his shoe.

 

Sometimes, Ten felt that if there was a God out there, he was out to get Ten. His life was a series of shameful events. It was not even funny at this point. But it clearly was the funniest thing in the world to Lucas, who was holding up a furry handcuff he’d pulled out from the box that just happened to have the stuff Ten NEVER wanted anyone to see. All the sirens in his mind had gone off. To him, the only mission of his life to get that box away from Lucas or it’d be the end of dignity, if there was any left.

“Give it back,” Ten said, letting any shame go while attempting to snatch it back from Lucas’s hand.

 

“But what is it for?” Lucas said, laughing more at the look on Ten’s face than the sex toy dangling by his pinky finger, and he should have savoured the raw embarrassment leaking from Ten because soon they were interrupted by a cough.

 

“What’s going on here?” Kun said, wilfully ignoring what Lucas was making a show of. His eyes dug into Ten. All the boxes around him could mean what? Was he trying to salvage his pride by returning everything? Would that make things better for him? Was this a bloody game?

 

Lucas glanced at his brother who was glancing at Ten. And Ten. He just looked a lost puppy looking back at Kun with a look in his eyes that made Lucas feel out of place, like a third fucking wheel. And Lucas fucking hated that. He had never been the third person. He’s always been the first person in every scenario ever. 

 

“Eye-fucking, is it?” Lucas said, throwing the cuffs back into the box. That snapped them out their eye-lock. Kun gave him a disapproving look but said nothing. That was the thing, right? Kun always had to be the bigger person, since he could not actually scold Lucas due to the fact that they were half-brothers who had only known each other for a mere 6 years. So Lucas did whatever. Like now, he did not let Ten off easily. Kun was waiting, perhaps, for Lucas to leave. Ten was clearly waiting for Kun to leave. And Lucas honestly wanted to kick one of the boxes.

 

“Whatever,” Lucas said, finally walking away. And was hit with a wave of surprise when for the first time ever, he saw a pleading look in Ten’s eyes that had wanted him to stay. But it was too late, Kun had already put a word in. Lucas couldn’t see his expression from the distance, but it wasn’t hard to tell that Ten was crying again.

 

🖤

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. Soooooooo WayV finally debuted! I'm so genuinely happy and excited, it's unbelievable. I meannnnn, Centre Ten?? It's what he deserves! I've waited so so long for this, seeing Ten and the rest of the members so happy makes it all worth it. Recycled song or no, I'm glad they're just out there now. I had almost given up. (And yah, not 'forgiving and forgetting' what was done with Winwin and I've been saying since DAY 1 that SM needs to be called out on their bullshit constantly.) Apart from that, I hope everyone still supports WayV. They've worked so hard and it shows. So pleaseeee stream and support the boys! Android users, split your screen to stream with one half and complain with the other. This fic isn't much, I just don't have as much time as I used to, to write. But thank you for reading. :)
> 
> If you want to discuss literally anything, my twitter handle is @yuktenisreal 
> 
> Also, I will try to finish this fic within 5 days. If I don't, you're legally allowed to mass report me till I get suspended.


	2. Moving on & out

 

 

🖤

 

“I brought as much as I could by myself, the rest I’ll-” Ten was saying, or was at least trying to, without looking up, but his voice betrayed him, choking up.

 

“Don’t cry, Ten,” Kun said, pulling Ten into a hug. Yes, he knew, he had no right to embrace him any longer. He knew, Ten was hurting. But he was hurting too.

 

“I’m not crying,” Ten said, but let Kun hug him anyway.

 

Kun stroked his hair.

 

“You don’t have to return anything, Ten. These weren’t things I lent to you,” Kun said, masking the expression he’d had moments ago. Ten pulled free of the hug, his voice regaining control. Kun didn’t even smell the same anymore.

 

“You changed your perfume,” Ten said, but not really paying attention to what was happening. His mind was slowly drifting away on a wave of indifference. Briefly.

 

“These were gifts,” Kun said, looking away, trying to keep his expression of disappointment at bay.

 

Ten looked at his shoes. He knew they were gifts. He knew it would hurt Kun if he gave them back. And maybe that’s what he wanted. For this to affect Kun, to elicit some reaction, anger, anything, a semblance of hope. But Kun wasn’t even meeting his eyes. Ten looked at the box with the cuffs and shut close the lid. And he shut every single thought that told him it wasn’t wrong to hope. It was.

 

🖤  
  


Ten hopped down the front steps. He didn’t even have the energy to walk and to think that he had to move all his stuff out of his apartment. Maybe if God had given him as much energy as much he gave him troubles, he wouldn’t have to live like this. But whatever. Now the number of boxes he would nee-

 

Lucas was standing in his way.

 

Ten has been interrupted so often by Lucas in his life that he had stopped questioning it a while ago. Lucas’s mockful and persistent presence was a quintessential part of his life now. Well, not much longer, Ten thought and it honestly made him a little sad.

 

“Before you roll your eyes, I’m here cause brother asked me to tell you that he’ll send all this stuff back to your apartment and you can do whatever you please with it,” Lucas said, chuckling at the last part of the sentence.

 

“I can’t keep taking it around with me,” Ten said, reflecting on how futile it was to bring it all here in the first place.

 

Lucas’s face was a big question mark.

 

“Well, since I’m moving out of that apar-” Ten was saying.

 

“Are you dumb?” Lucas asked, exasperated. What was Ten even thinking? Do breakups make people dumb or something?

 

“Where will you go?” Lucas asked, his eyebrows flying upwards and Ten’s clueless expression really answered it all. Lucas rubbed his forehead. This was so stupid, he couldn’t believe it. And what’s even more unbelievable was the fact that he was going to offer this dumbass some help.

 

Ten didn’t want to admit that he didn’t know where he would go, some hotel probably, for the time being. But in the long run, it really wasn’t viable. His source of income had ended yesterday, his career hadn’t even taken off yet, and his savings would diminish within 2 months. He thought about going back to his country but he might as well stamp the word loser on his forehead. He didn’t want to lose his only shot at being a model, not yet anyway.

 

“Brother _will_ still pay your rent, you know that right?” Lucas said, hating each word as it came out.

 

Ten nodded.  “I don’t…,”

 

“Want to be around?” Lucas asked.

 

“...don’t want to be a burden,” Ten finished.

 

Lucas looked at Ten. And then shame bore into his mind. But all he did was say, “shut up,” and looked away.

 

“Wait here,” Lucas told Ten, already busy dialling someone on his phone.

 

Ten did wait. He did not know what else to do. If winds were a little stronger, he would just be carried away.

 

He looked around, back at the white mansion with its big oaken windows, the window to Kun’s bedroom closed even when the sun was out. And then he looked outside, beyond the iron gate, Lucas leaning against his car, speaking into his phone looking tensed which was something Ten had never really seen on Lucas’s face. Ten just did not know how to act when Lucas wasn’t absolutely terrible towards him. It honestly made him nervous. He thought back to when Lucas had let him cry into his arms. Remembering that made him shiver. That was dangerous. Lucas was trouble. And he really should’ve stopped himself from thinking about how Lucas was always there, even if it came with endless mockery. But he didn’t. For once, Ten had something consistent. The world would change, but Lucas’ smart tongue and arrogance had rooted itself up in Ten’s life. Ten wanted to smile at that. At the humour of it all, at how he was waiting because _Lucas_ told him to. How maybe some people aren’t as bad as they seem.

 

Then came a pat on his back, it was more like a slap but Ten let it slide. Lucas’s arm strength was something and at this point for Ten, any humane sensation was welcome.

 

“Pack up then. You’re moving tonight,” Lucas said, grinning down at Ten. It wasn’t entirely innocent.

 

“I plan to,” Ten said, innocently.

 

“You’re moving to my friend’s place,” Lucas said, expecting some resistance but Ten only nodded. Was he even paying attention?

 

“The friend you just called?” Ten asked, tilting his head.

 

“Yea, you’ve probably seen him here before,” Lucas said, feeling odd about the whole situation. There was nothing normal about the way Ten was acting.

 

“Oh,” Ten said, nodding to himself and then looking up at Lucas, he asked, “Did he agree to the contract then?”

 

“Contract?” Lucas was puzzled. And then it dawned upon him. His face distorted. “God, Ten. No. This isn’t a contract. Just live there till you find a place. And….don’t do or say thing weird. God-” Lucas couldn’t deal with this. Was he actually thinking to sleep with someone for a fucking room to stay in?

 

Lucas was highly uncomfortable. Just how gullible was Ten?

 

It didn’t matter if he wanted to do this or not but he definitely needed to see this through. Just until the idiot was somewhere, safe. But he knew Winwin and his leanings well and it worried him a little to leave Ten with him without supervision.

 

He glanced at Ten sideways and felt like he was looking at a lost kitten. Worst part? Lucas didn’t know how to be gentle.

 

 

🖤

 

“Who?” Winwin said, wedging himself between the porch and his half-ajar front door.

 

“Ten???? I literally told you about him just 3 hours ago?” Lucas reiterated, shaking his head at how impossibly messy this was.

 

“Oh yea, right, come on in,” Winwin replied, almost yawning, before turning around to lead them into the living room. The house was awfully big. If Ten thought he knew luxury before, he knew nothing. He felt so out of place. Not that his life with Kun had been one of the common variety but still, this was idle spending. Who needs three electric massage chairs in their house? What person in their early twenties needs a fountain in their front yard?

 

Lucas had dropped himself in one of the loveseats with a sigh so deep you’d think he worked 9 to 5. He looked nothing like a 9 to 5 person, he looked like a spoiled kid who wears Louis Vuitton to bed but that’s just the facade. To be as successful a model as Lucas, money wasn’t enough, it took a lot more. Patience. Perseverance, guts, a toned body. And boy, Ten had seen the last one with his own two eyes on multiple occasions. Coincidentally, of course. It’s not like you could avoid it when it’s plastered on magazine covers and ads. Ten couldn’t even avoid him during his break-up, just how would one expect for Ten to not see Lucas lounging in nothing but shorts during the summertime when he’d been a regular visitor to their house.

 

“You,” Winwin said while looking into the fridge.

 

Ten nodded and then realised that Winwin couldn’t see him, and then realised it didn’t matter he hadn’t replied yet because Winwin wasn’t asking for one and was already speaking again.

 

“You can stay in the guest room upstairs, first door to the right. Don’t make a mess and don’t lock the door. House staff comes and goes.” And turning around Winwin bit into an apple, eying Ten for no particular reason.

 

When Ten looked at Lucas to see what he was doing, Lucas looked uncomfortable.

 

For a second, Ten just stood there with suitcases around him. Then, tediously he grabbed onto two and dragged them upstairs to his room. A bed, too big for someone like him, huge glass doors opening onto a circular balcony, mirrored cupboards and in them, the reflection of a guy with deep dark circles, a sad pout, two suitcases behind him, looking miserable.

 

The bed looked so inviting, he dropped everything and flopped himself on the bed face first, embracing the sleep that came without any efforts at all.

 

🖤  


Ten screamed so loud, Lucas had to clamp a hand on his mouth.

 

“Shut up dude. It’s just me,” Lucas whispered, hoping Winwin didn’t hear that. God, why won’t this day end already?

  
“What the fu-?” Ten mumbled into his hands, eyes wide.

 

“Liste-” Lucas tried saying but Ten was saying something he couldn’t understand. Well, because his hand was muffling it.

 

“Stop screaming. Listen. Lock your door, alright, I’m leaving. I have a shoot tomorrow morning,” Lucas was saying, his face serious even in total darkness. He searched Ten’s face for some understanding but Ten’s eyes were still wide and alarmed.

 

Lucas lifted his hand which was warm from Ten’s breath and paused momentarily, weirded out by how it felt.

 

Ten nodded at Lucas. And then shook his head.

 

“He told me to keep it unlocked,” Ten said, as a matter of fact.

 

“So? You’re going to do everything he says. Don’t be stupid. Lock it befor-” Lucas trailed off. He looked at the doorway and shot a glare.

 

“Ho Ho, what’s this?” Winwin said, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. He flicked the light switch and the sudden light seemed to blind everyone in the room.

 

Lucas got up from the bed, pushed his hands into his pockets, none of the earlier concern on his face. He looked like his usual laid back and arrogant self, at least to Winwin, but Ten who’d been privy to his hasty advice just moments ago could sense the tenseness. He looked at Winwin and his easy smile, some unreadable intent apparent on his face. Was this a face off? Weren’t they friends? Ten had no clue what was going on. He was still dazed from his sleep. He felt hot in his jacket, his palms were sweaty.

 

“Going home already, Xuxi?” Winwin asked.

 

“Actually I was planning to stay...way too tired to go back now,” Lucas said, lying through his teeth. The audacity that he had. He woke Ten up in such a hurry. And for what? Ten rolled his eyes. Lucas caught it.

 

“Alright, use any room you want,” Winwin said, grinning as if he’d just made a big point that Ten was oblivious to. Lucas had narrowed his eyes.  At that point, Ten gave up deciphering.

 

When he finally walked away, both Lucas and Ten waited quietly and listened to his footsteps receding. Right then, Lucas made the worst face.

 

“What?” Ten said.

 

“Shut up,” Lucas said, pushing his hair back and pulling his shirt off in one go.

 

“Wha-” Ten asked, but was interrupted by Lucas walking towards the bed with nothing but pure annoyance on his face. He looked pissed and Ten would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little scared.

 

“Shut up and scoot.”

 

Ten was so scared, he just obliged.

 

Lucas snatched the total of 1 blanket that was available and laid (more like threw himself) on the space Ten had just emptied. Meanwhile, Ten was scooting himself to the edge almost. One night, God, give me one night of peace, he thought.

 

“Jerk,” Ten mumbled, before tiptoeing out of bed to take a shower. He had slept in his clothes earlier and felt a little gross. Lucas pretended he didn’t notice Ten slipping out stealthily, he tried to ignore that the shower was on for nearly half an hour, he pretended not to notice the fresh-smelling weight that dropped next to him in bed, and for the coming days he would absolutely not let himself remember pushing a hand in Ten’s soft hair, or how his cheeks were soft under his fingers, or how he saw Ten curl himself into a ball, or how when Ten hiked his leg up on him, he did nothing to remove it. Not in the slightest.

 

🖤

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, hard to finish things, but I'm motivated. Thank you for reading. Twitter is where I am at (@yuktenisreal). Stan WayV!


	3. Damage Control

 

🖤

 

Strange, Ten thought as he buttered a toasted slice of bread, Strange how when he woke up this morning, nothing crossed his mind, none of the grief from yesterday weighed down on him. He didn’t wake up with a lump in his throat or the urge to return to bed. He woke up, in an unfamiliar room with an empty mind. A blank slate. Not necessarily hopeful but not pessimistic either.

 

The bed empty on the other side didn’t faze him, Lucas’ abrupt leave, yesterday’s behaviour and the face he saw sleeping so close to his own at night when he had woken up with a jolt remembering that he’d forgotten to lock the door like he’d been told to, wasn’t bothersome. After having bolted it, when he slipped into the sheets again, it felt almost wrong to turn his face the other way. It didn’t faze him, the usual cockiness on Lucas’ face gone when he slept, his eyebrows relaxed. It didn’t faze Ten when he realised that in that particular moment, he didn’t entirely hate Lucas’ presence. It didn’t faze him in the slightest, so he took it all with him when he closed his eyes, clutched it close to his heart for a reason that made no sense.

 

Winwin was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he’s working too? Ten didn’t mind the house to himself. It gave him time to think. He needed to build himself back up. He not only needed but also wanted to work seriously. No beating around the bush. This led him to wonder about where to start? He’d hadn’t formally joined Kun’s agency yet, so he was free to join another. But there was no time. He needed work and he needed it immediately.

 

“Okay, let’s do this,” Ten said out loud, getting off the table, having finished the breakfast. He washed the dishes, though he didn’t have to, changed into better clothes, a bucket hat and a smile. Fake it till you make it, right?

 

 

🖤

 

“Yo, Ten!” Hendery said, throwing an arm around him.

 

“What are you getting up to these days,” Ten asked, grinning eye to eye. Hendery had been one of his earliest friends in the city. It was because of Hendery that Ten got his first few gigs. They weren’t that big but it was a good start.

 

“Oh, the usual but...I got promoted,” Hendery replied, trying to control how happy he seemed about it.

 

“Way to go! Don’t forget me when you’re dining with the stars,” Ten joked.

 

“Not if you get there first. So, what’s up? After so long?” Hendery asked earnestly. It wasn’t often that Ten gave surprise visits.

 

“Honestly, I wanted to ask if there’s some work available around here or some gig that has auditions on?” Ten asked, looking around, afraid to meet Hendery’s eyes.

 

If Hendery gauged something was up, he very kindly didn’t point it out.

 

“Yeah, there must be. We’re short on models anyway. Let me check with them,” he said, pointing for Ten to seat himself on the couch. Ten obeyed. Hendery came back within a minute, his honest expression giving away that the answer was affirmative. Ten sighed with relief.

 

🖤

 

 

Lucas laughed. Things were so different than they were just two days ago that Ten couldn’t tell if it was actual laughter or some sort of mockery.

 

“I mean, whatever works for you,” Lucas said, but he was still laughing. He had dropped by in the evening to NOT check up on Ten but to see Winwin. Winwin still wasn’t home though. So he was lounging in the living area not really paying any attention to the show playing on the television that he had pretended to like only a few moments ago. Nah, he was listening to what Ten was telling him. Don’t know why he was being told all this, by Ten of all people. Still, he listened and laughed when Ten told him about the modelling gig. It was for a magazine column. And it was the concept that made Lucas laugh. ‘Sexy’.

 

“Are you saying I can’t pull it off?” Ten said, the offence apparent on his face.

 

“Uh I didn’t say that but sure go ahead,” Lucas replied, enjoying the annoyance on Ten’s face.

 

“Whatever. It’s not like your opinion matters to me,” Ten said, switching the channel just to annoy Lucas.

 

Lucas smirked. “You don’t even _know_ my opinion on you.” With that he rested the back of his head against the couch, closing his eyes. What was he even doing here? Winwin wasn’t coming back at all tonight, Lucas knew that damn well.

 

“Shut up,” Ten threw back. For some reason, their exchanges didn’t feel as spiteful as they used to. It was almost like lazy banter. Ten was nibbling on dark chocolate on the sofa opposite Lucas’ who was almost sleeping sitting up. The generic laughter track in the sitcom on TV played occasionally, Lucas was smiling with his eyes closed, Ten oscillated looking between the two of them.

 

And then his phone screen lit up seconds before his phone began vibrating against the glass-top centre table. On instinct, both of them, eye-shut Lucas and distracted Ten, knew who it was.

 

Ten stared at it for a few seconds.

 

“Don’t,” came a voice from Lucas’s side. He still had his eyes closed, though his eyebrows were knit closely.

 

That made Ten stare at the screen a little longer. He looked at Lucas, he looked at the screen and looked at his own reflection in the glass top table. The vibration ceased, his screen blacked out and Ten prayed to God that there wouldn’t be another call. He can’t resist. He can’t kill that part of him that wanted to know, wanted to forgive.

 

“Good,” Lucas mumbled and Ten rolled his eyes.

 

“Have you ever considered...you know the possibility of minding your own business?” Ten said, leaning back in his seat, tired all of a sudden.

 

“You are my business now,” Lucas said, laughing, but it had a phoney ring to it.

 

Well, it made sense. For better or for worse, Lucas had helped Ten out. Ten didn’t retort. He pretended to like what he saw on the TV.

  


After a minute, Ten excused himself silently. It was getting late, he had promised to call his mother that day. And yet, Lucas somehow sensed it, giving no reaction.

 

Ten stood close to the glass-terrace doors in his room, his phone to his ear, fingers fidgeting with a curtain. He felt nervous. He felt nervous about lying.

 

Somehow he managed to get through the conversation. His mom’s lightheartedness always eased him, it was as if even from miles away his mother could tell his state and secretly steered the conversation towards the root. Ten wouldn’t let her though. This wasn’t something he could just say outright.

“Call me tomorrow?” his mom said.

 

Ten almost had a seizure because of how shocked he was, his neck jerking with surprise at the presence behind him. Lucas stood there, silent and questioning.

 

“What the fuck,” Ten was screaming internally.

 

“Hello?” his mom’s voice came.

 

“Yea- Yeah I’ll call you later mom,” Ten said, urgently trying to hang up.

 

Turning around, he looked at Lucas with wide eyes. What do you want and what the fuck is wrong with you? They seemed to ask.

 

“Who is that?” Lucas asked, not at all attempting to keep his voice from being heard by whoever Ten was talking to. He had a feeling it was Kun.

 

“It’s my mom, go away,” Ten whispered, his lips pulled in a sneer.

 

“Show me,” Lucas said, arm reaching for the phone in Ten’s hand. Ten pulled back, genuinely upset.

 

“What are you doing?” Ten asked, immediately hanging up on his mother. There was a line and Lucas was truly stepping past it. “What is it, Lucas?”

 

Lucas looked away. He still didn’t know who Ten was talking to and it was ebbing at his mind. He couldn’t put it at ease. Since yesterday.

 

Ten looked at him. He wasn’t going to let this go without answers. Something was up. Being nosy was one thing, being controlling another. There weren’t even friends.

 

But Lucas was quiet. His eyes were shifty as if he were highly uncomfortable. Good, Ten thought. He should understand how it feels.

 

“Stay away from brother,” Lucas said, turning around to leave, his expression cold.

 

“Why should I?” Ten spat back. If he was going to stay away it would be at his own discretion and not because someone told him to.

 

Lucas paused at the door. He honestly just wanted to leave it at that but he paused. And he himself wondered why. He’d be lying if he said that it was purely guilt. Guilt and so much more. Ten knew nothing of it.

 

“Yeah, that was weird. Sorry,” he said, before leaving the room, leaving Ten, once again, utterly puzzled.

 

Ten did not come out of his room that night. Lucas dined alone. He stared at the TV some more. He thought about going back home and he thought of his conversation with his brother yesterday. The taste of tears he’d discovered yesterday. It was all such a headache. His brother’s disappointment, his cold kindness, his own friend taking someone else’s side. What was he going to do? Lucas thought, rubbing his eyes. Ten would hate him. And this time Lucas will truly deserve. He never thought he would care about this obvious outcome but he did.

 

Remedy. Damage control. Lucas had learned more about it in the last one week than he had in his entire life. Flipping an omelette on the pan, he tried to think of a way to make the fact that he was making breakfast for his enemy, normal somehow. He’d been a jerk last night, yes, more than usual. But saying sorry in stark daylight didn’t feel like a thing he’d be comfortable doing. So he cooked (overcooked really) breakfast for Ten, who still had not emerged out of his room even though it was 11 am.

 

The front door beeped and clicked open. Lucas bent over the aisle, spatula in his hand,  to look at the incomer, possibly Winwin? But no, it was Ten.

 

Both gaped at each other, Ten wondering why Lucas had an apron on, spatula in hand, Lucas wondering was Ten coming from outside instead of coming down from his room.

 

“What?” Ten asked. He was still wearing his pyjamas.

 

Lucas cocked his head and decided against letting Ten know that all this while thinking Ten was asleep, he’d been waiting.

 

“Is that the new thing? Jogging in pyjamas?” Lucas said, pulling a face and resuming to flip the omelette once again.

 

Ten rolled his eyes. “Winwin forgot something. I was dropping it off,” Ten said, clicking the door shut behind him.

 

“That ass could’ve asked his driver,” Lucas said, shaking his head.

 

Ten looked at him surprised. It always threw him off to learn the dynamics of Lucas and Winwin’s friendship. With the way they talked to and about one another, you’d think they hated each other. But Ten had learned to consider it normal. They did seem to care for each other, regardless.

 

“I don’t mind. At least, I’m useful this way,” Ten said, standing opposite the kitchen aisle, watching Lucas cook, no, struggle to cook. He internally flinched, when the omelette broke apart in three different pieces. 

 

“Hey, you wanna be useful? Tell me how it tastes,” Lucas said, turning around to plate what he'd made on the aisle. Ten stared at it. Was this for real?

 

“Go on,” Lucas said, staring intently.

 

“Poisoning would be too cliche, Lucas. You should-,” Ten was saying, but Lucas interrupted, “Oh shut up and eat.”

 

Ten took a bite and wondered if there were supposed to be any crunchy bits in the omelette. It wasn’t bad per se and the look on Lucas’ face was so cute, like a puppy waiting to be praised that Ten just smiled and nodded.

 

“It’s good,” he said and Lucas grinned.

 

The smile kinda faltered when Lucas took a bite of what he had cooked himself. He was amazed. It didn’t look that burnt in reality.

 

“Dude, that’s terrible. Why are you lying?” he said, throwing off his apron.

 

Ten shook his head. “Move,” he said, pushing Lucas aside, his fingers’ dexterity obvious by the way his broke eggs without bits of shell falling into the pan, the perfect flip, not a single thing breaking off. Lucas looked on, amazed. It’s just an omelette, Ten thought, amused by Lucas’s amazement. He looked at Ten, a little sad that he knew so little about him.

 

Ten smiled down at the plate, thinking, “Apology accepted.”

 

🖤  


Things were somehow different when Lucas returned the next day. Ten couldn't put a finger on it. His undereyes were a shade darker, Ten noticed. The rain with its shitty timing wasn't helping Lucas' mood at all. Ten didn't like it one bit. Even though they sat in one room, next to each other, no one was speaking and it bothered him. He worried. And he couldn't figure out when exactly he had started worrying about this guy either.

 

 

The words died on his lips. They had swelled up so urgently, for a second, Lucas was prepared to let them out, to face whatever may come next, to leave himself to the mercy of someone’s forgiveness and their rightful anger. But the words, as soon as they reached his mouth, lost the courage, too scared to be a subject of the forgiveness that he did not deserve.

 

The rain drummed down on the world outside and an equally loud storm raged in Lucas’s mind. Faced with Ten’s clueless expression and eyes that held no hostility at the moment, he could imagine Ten’s smile wilt, his expression change, eyes growing red and angry. But the words didn’t come and nothing changed.

 

“What?” Ten said, brushing aside a stray hair from his forehead. Lucas smiled softly. His fondness for Ten growing each day and with it his fear. One torturous fear that he has been carrying since the day, he held Ten in his arms for the first time in a dark hallway, his own shirt wet from Ten’s tears.

 

“Nothing,” Lucas said, looking away.

 

“You never tell me what you are thinking,” Ten said, slightly pouting.

 

“Oh, wouldn't you like to know?” Lucas asked, smiling, still staring out the window at the raindrops dripping away, ceaseless and certain.

 

Ten hummed. Lucas pulled out an emotion and laid it out for Ten.

 

“I’m scared,” Lucas said, tone strangely calm for the words he was saying.

 

Ten frowned without knowing it. He timidly touched Lucas’ shoulder. Lucas didn’t flinch. He didn’t even move. Stood eerily like a stone.

 

“Of what, Lucas?” Ten asked, unsure if he’d get an answer.

But it came. There were things Lucas couldn’t say and then there were things he could give as a substitute. They weren’t lies. They were honest, and in a way, they were a part of Lucas’ tiny attempt to make things okay.

 

“Of being sad.” And he looked at Ten with honest eyes. Solemn.

 

Ten reached out. He wasn’t a hugger but with Lucas, at this point, crying into arms was an established thing. A thing of comfort which only they shared. Being frenemies, hugs were reserved for moments like these truly, because even Lucas didn’t resist.

 

Lucas rested his chin over Ten’s shoulder, the warmth of Ten’s skin comforting him. And he fit so snugly in Lucas’ arms that Ten closed his eyes. It wasn’t right. But then again, in the months they had known each other, what ever was?

 

“Is that why you’re so mean?” Ten said, chuckling against Lucas’s shirt.

 

“When have I ever been mean Te-” Lucas was saying, or something along those lines but he couldn’t really remember. It was probably going to be something funny but it doesn’t matter. Because he was too busy, fireworks going off in his head, everything was burning, his ears, his cheeks, Ten’s lips against his. It was the best feeling in the world, better than the reaction Ten gives when he’s mocked, better than the fireside during winters, better than what he was yearning for. It was so much better than fighting. Ten’s tongue braving Lucas’s quietness. There was no hesitation as if both saw it coming. (Neither saw it coming.) The kiss was slow at first and then fierce, no sign of stopping any time soon, like the rain outside. Ceaseless and certain.

 

🖤

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 5 days? lol 5 months more like. Leave feedback or I die.


End file.
